Pack of playing-cards



2 Sheets-Sheet .2.

(No Model.)

A. I. PAINE. PACK OF PLAYING CARDS.

Patented Mar. 6, 1894."

Fig.5.

6 SIX Two wrrrl 55E '9 W "R M/\ M z ww card and suit number.

' NITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

ALTEMUS IRWVIN PAINE, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PACK 01-- PLAYING-CARDS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,165, dated March 6, 1894.

Application filed December 30,1892. Serial No. 456,784. (in) model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALTEMUS IRWIN PAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Pack of Playing-Cards, of which the following is a specification.

In thisinvention,the cards are divided into six suits and three colors, two suits being of each color, and each suit bearing its peculiar emblems or spots of which there are,-therefore, six kinds, viz., diamonds, stars, crosses, spear-heads, hearts, and cresoents. By means of this peculiarly constituted pack, new games are possible.

In the drawings, a pack of cards is illustrated in which each suit contains six cards, and the entire pack thirty-six cards, this pack being especially adapted to play a certain game which I term domino whist. I do not, however, confine myself to the use of six cards only in a suit, as any number, or the usual number of cards maybe employed in a suit.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents the card of lowest value in the diamond or six suit, the color of which is black. Fig. 2 is the next lowest card of the same suit. Fig. 8 is the highest card of the same suit. Fig. 4 is a card of the star or five suit, the color of which is blue. Fig. 5 is a card of the cross or four suit, the color of which is red. Fig. 6 is a card of the spear-head or three suit, the color of which is black. Fig. 7 is a card of the heart or two suit, the color of which is red. Fig. Sis a card of the crescent or one suit, the color of which is blue.

As above stated, this pack or deck of cards is divided into six suits, each of which contains six cards and has a number and emblem. Each card has two rectangular center pieces, A and B, which together are of the shape of a domino. Surrounding this domino is a space C of even width, and in the diagonally opposite corners G of this space 0 (which constitute always the upper left corners in reading) are words which designate the The other diagonally opposite corners O" are provided with the emblem of the suit to which the card belongs. Surrounding the space C is a marginal space D zvhich extends to the edges of the card,

and in the diagonally opposite corners, which are the upper left hand corners in reading, are representations of the emblem of the suit and the value of the card in the suit; for example,Fig. 1 shows the lowest card in the diamond or six suit; hence, one-half of the domino has one diamond spot upon it and the other half contains sixdiamond spots;the intermediate space 0 has the words One and Six in two corners, indicating that this card or domino is the one spot of the six suit. In the other corners of the space 0 are diamonds, indicating that this is the diamond suit; in opposite corners of the marginal space D are the figure 1, and a diamond, indicating that the card is the one of diamonds. The terms, one of diamonds, and one of the six suit, have the same meaning. So, in Fig. 2, the domino in the middle of the card represents six diamonds and two diamonds, and hence, in the corners otthe space 0 the words Two and Six are printed, indicating that this card is the two of the six suit, while in the corners of the marginal space D,the figure 2 and the repre sentation of a diamond are shown,indicating that this card is the two of diamonds. S0, up to double sixes, or six of diamo nds, which is shownin Fig. 3, the only difference being that in this card the marginal space D, instead of being marked with a figure 6 and a diamond, has two diamonds represented upon it, the upper diamond meaning 6, and the lower diamond meaninga diamond, the two together meaning double sixes of diamonds. This suit, it will be remembered, is a black suit.

Now in Fig. 4: appears a card of the five or star suit, the color of which is blue. In this case, the domino shown is a six of stars, or a six of the five suit and hence is marked in the corners of the space 0, Six Five, and with stars in the opposite corners, and in the marginal corners is marked 6 and astar, meaning six of stars. The same system as that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is continued in designating the rest of the suit of stars. In the same manner, Fig. 5 shows six of crosses, whichis the four suit, and colored red; Fig. 6 shows a six of spearheads, which is a three suit, and colored black; Fig.7 shows a six of hearts, which is a two suit and colored red, and Fig. 8

shows a six of crescents which is a one suit and is colored blue.

In reckoning values, the doublet is the highest card in the suit, that is to say, the double fours in the cross or four suit, the double sixes in the diamond or six suit or the double ones in the one or crescent suit.

The general rules of the game, which I term domino-whist, are as follows: The game should be played by three, four, or six players, although it could be played by two, or nine. The cards are dealt one at a time, to each player, until the pack is exhausted, the dealer turning the last card for a trump, unless a trump is decided by bidding, as described below. The player at the left of the dealer leads whatever card he chooses, the other players following in turn from the same suit, the highest card played of the suit taking the trick, provided no one trumps, which can only be done in case a player cannot follow suit. The winner of the trick leads, and so on, until all the cards are played. There are seven cards which count for game; hence, the object of the players is not to take tricks-which do not count-but to secure these seven cards, which are as follows: The four of the one suit, or crescent suit-,--or, more briefly the 4=1 ,which counts five; the 3-2 (three of hearts) which counts five; 23, (two of spears) which counts five; and the 1at (one of crosses) which counts five; also, the 6-4 (six of crosses), the 5-5 (five of stars), and the 4=6 (fourof diamonds), each of which counts ten. Thus there are fifty points in all, which can be obtained in playing one hand. As many points as desired may constitute the game, although a hundred will be found an interesting number. Instead of turning the last card for a trump, the trump may be bid for by each player, the highest bidder securin g the privilege of naming the trump, and being obliged to play first, but not being obliged to lead trumps. Should the maker of the trump fail to score as many point-s as he bid, there would be deducted from his score the number of points bid by him.

The game can be played by partners, each partner having the right to bid for trumps,

as above. Bidding may be continued until all are forced to withdraw but one, who then names the trump. Should more than one bid reach fifty, which is the highest number that can be made in one hand, the bidder nearest the left of the dealer has the preference. Should the dealer be one of the contestants bidding fifty points, he should have the privilege of naming the trump.

It is not my purpose to confine myself to a pack of cards having but six cards in a suit, nor to a pack of cards representing dominos. The number of cards in a suit may be more or less than six as desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pack or deck of playing cards divided into a set of six individual suits, formed of three pairs of two suits each, each of said six suits having its own distinguishing emblem, each card having its value centrally located thereon, having in its corners the distinguishing emblem and the face value of the card, and having in its intermediate corner spaces the face value and the suit value of the card,

substantially as set forth.

2. A pack or deck of playing cards divided into a number of suits of different values,

each card having its value centrally located thereon, having in diagonally-opposite corners the distinguishing emblem and the face value of the card, and having in its intermediate corner spaces the face value and the suit value of the card, substantially as set forth.

3. A pack or deck of playing cards divided into a number of suits of different values, each card having its face value centrally located thereon in its suit emblem and arranged in the form of a domino, havingin diagonallyopposite corners the distinguishing emblem and the face value of the card, and having in the intermediate corner spaces the face value and the suit value of the card, substantially as set forth.

ALTEMUS IRWIN PAINE. WVitnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, J. M. HARTNETT. 

